Heel support for water skis



1945- J. M. HARTMAN ,1 I

HEEL SUPPORT FOR WATER SKIS Filed Feb. 21, 194:4:

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v INVENIOR.

YHA/MfiETMAN,

.ATTaQ/VEY.

Patented Aug. 14, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HEEL SUPPORT FOR WATER sKIs John M. Hartman, Glendale, cane] Application February 21, 1944, Serial-No. 523,207 I (oi.9 2 1)" i 7 I 7 Claims.

This invention has to do with developments in water skis of the type used by a rider behind a tow boat, and is particularly concerned with improvements in the foot or heel supporting parts of the ski that considerably enhance its practicability and convenience in use.

The ski rider will of course on occasions fall or be thrown into the water, at which time his 'feet are removed from the skis. Ordinarily it is desirable to be able toremount the skis without support by the tow boat or other assistance. The facility with which the skis may be remounted in the water depends largely upon the ease with which the riders feet may be replaced and prop erly supported in the foot attachment assembly carried by the skis. Accordingly, one of the major objectives of the invention is to provide an improved foot attachment, and particularly with reference to the heel support, whereby such support may very easily and quickly be moved to a released position and then applied in properly fitted relation to the riders foot."

The generaltype of heel support contemplated by theinvention is one comprising a supporting member movable longitudinally of the ski to and from the heel-engaging position. Theinvene tion aims to provide a quick-operating shifting device permitting initially a close or accurate adjustment of the heel supporting memberto the riders foot, and thereafter quick and easy shifting of the support so that when in the water, the rider may by a simple manipulation release and then reapply the support to its heel-engaging position.

While the invention contemplates the use of diiferent specific forms of heel support shifting mechanisms, it is preferred to use a toggle-type device by reason of its quick making and breaking action. Accordingly, the toggle device may comprise a pair of pivotally interconnected links at the rear of the heel support, a forward link of the toggle being connected to the heel support and the rear toggle'link attached to a suit-" able anchor or mounting secured to the ski. A suitable handle, preferably formed as an extension of one of the toggle links, is accessibly positioned for operation to shift the heel support. A further important feature and object is the provision of an adjustable connection between the toggle and anchor member, permitting theefl'ective toggle throw and movement of the supporting member in a heel-engaging direction, to be predetermined and fitted to the riders foot.

. All the various features and objects of the invention will be understood to better advantage from the following detailed description of a typical and illustrative embodiment of the invention,

reference being had'thr'oughout the description to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1' is a view showing the ski in side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the ski;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryfenlarged view showing portions of the heel support adjusting device in section; and v Fig. 4 is an, enlarged sectional view on broken line 4'4 of Fig. 3. I

It will be understood that the body ID of the ski may have any-"Suitable pattern orspecific shape and form. 1 Merely as illustrative, it is shownas a conventional single piece ski of regular shape carrying at the rear a rudder blade or fin I I. In connection with the foot attachment parts, a suitable type and form of forward or toe section may be used. Typically this section of the foot'att'achment i shown to comprise a flexible piece l2 fastened to the surface of the ski at I3 and shapedto receive and support the riders foot against movement away from' the heel section. a

The invention is-more particularly concerned with the adjustableheel supporting device, generally indicated at I 4, which in its preferred form comprises a base plate I5 attached to the surface of the ski and carrying the curved heel supporting member I6 which is slidable longitudinally of the ski on the plate I5 and is guided in such movement'by flangesll integral with the support I5 and received within ways formed. by the turned sides I8 of the plate. The member I6 may be suitablypadded,'= as by a rubber cushion I9 extending inside and downwardly about its top edge, substantially 'a's illustrated.

' The heel supporting member I6 is actuated in a sliding'movement on plate I5 by a toggle linkage more particularly shown in Fig. 3 to compris e a link 20 pivotally connected at 2| to a second 1111x522 intermediate its ends, link 22 in turn being pivotally 'connected'at 23 to a clevice 24 on the rear of the member I6. Link 20 is connected to an anchor piece 25 in a manner permitting adjustment of the point of connection longitudinally of the ski, to thereby permit adjustment, in the extended position of the toggle, of the position of member I6 with relation to the forward section I2 of the foot attachment, and thus in properly fitted relation to the riders foot. It is contemplated that such adjustable connection between link 20 and the anchor piece 25 may take any of various specific forms. Typically, link 20 is shown to be channel-shaped, at least throughout a portion of its length, and to carry a pair of projections 26, see Fig. 4, insert able within any opposed pair of openings 21 in the upstanding side portions 28 of the anchor piece, the projections 26 being retained within the openings by the resiliency of the side portion of the links carrying the projections. The ends of the side portions may be turned outwardly at 29 to facilitate spreading apartof the sides and withdrawal of the projections 26 from the openings in making readjustments.

Link 22 may also be channel shaped so that.

upon downward swinging movement from the position-of Fig. 3 to extend the toggle, the chain nel will fit telescopically over the link and the sides 22a'of link 22 will be brought into over-' lapping relation with the sides of link 20: to prevent their spreading apart and removal of proe jections 26 from the openings 21; In this-manner, the connection between thetogglelinks and anchor piece is locked against accidental release in the extended position of. the toggle. Link 22 is provided withan. easily accessible handle, suchas the looped portiony3fl, to facilitate quick release or advancement of the heel supporting member I6. I

From the foregoing it will be understood, that the connection between link 20 and the anchor piece 25 initially may be adjusted to apply the heel support H5 in proper fitted engagement with ing direction to any of selected positions, and

means operable independently of the operation of adjusting the first mentioned means for moving the-support 'toand away from the, selected heel engaging position. p i

"2. In combination with a water ski, a base plate applied to the top surface of the ski, a heel support reciprocally slidable longitudinally of the ski onsaid plate; an anchor member attached to the ski at -therear of said support, a toggle comprisinga forward link attached to said support and a rear linkpivotally connected to said forward link, a projection carried by said rear link andselectively receivable within any one of a series of spaced openingsin said anchor member to selectively adjustthe displacement by the toggle. of saidsupport in a heel engagingidi rection. 1

3. In combination with a water ski, a base plate applied. to the top surface'of theski, a heel support reciprocally. slidable longitudinally ofthe ski on said plate, an anchor member attached to the ski at the rear of said support, a toggle comprising a forward link attached to said support and a channel-shaped rear link pivotally connected to said forward link, a pair of projections carried by said rear link and receivable within any of aseries of pairs of spaced openings in said anchor member to selectively adjust the displacement by the toggle of said support in a heel-engaging direction, anda channel-shaped handle extension on said forward link and adapted to fit over said rear link to maintain said projections in said openings.

" 4'. In combination with a water ski, a heel support reciprocally movable longitudinally of the ski in heel engaging and releasing directions,

adjustable means for limiting the movement of said support in a heel engaging direction to any of selected positions, and releasable holding means operable independently of said adjustable means for holding the support in aselectedheel engaging position, said support being freely reciprocable by pressure applied to the support itself when said holding means is released.-

5. In combination with a water ski,a heel sup.- port reciprocally movable longitudinally of the ski inheelengaging and releasing directions, adjustable means at the rear of said support for limiting the movement of said support in a heel engaging direction to any of selected positions, and, releasable holding" means comprising and operable by avertically swinging handle for'holding. the support. in a. selected heel engaging position, said support: being freely-reciprocable by pressure applied to the support itself when said holding means is released."

; 6. In combinationwitha water ski, a heel support reciprocally movable longitudinally of the ski in heel engaging and J releasing directions, means adjustablelongitudinally of the ski, said support being movable longitudinally of the ski relative tosaidadjustable means, and holding means connected-to said adjustable means normally at a. f xed location longitudinally of I. the' ski and connected'also to saidsupport, said holding meansbeing operable toreleasably hold the supportin its, heel engagingposition and toad- Vance the support from released position to heel engaging position a distance determined by the adjustment of said adjustable means.

7. In combination with a water ski, a heel sup port, reciprocally movable longitudinally. of the ski in heel engaging and releasing directions, adjustable means. spaced rearwardly from said support for controlling the. heel engaging position ofthe support, and means connected to said adjustable means and to the rear of the support and operable to releasably hold the-support in its heelengaging position and to advance the support from released position to heel engaging position a distancev determined by the adjustment of said adjustable means. i

JOHN M. I-IAR'IMAN.- 

